PubTalk 12/2012 — Colorful South Pacific Species

--New Discoveries and Looming Threats

by Robert Fisher, Research Biologist

• Exciting discoveries are spurring research to uncover hidden secrets deep within South Pacific tropical forests
• A scientific expedition roaming the tropical forests of Papua New Guinea recently discovered a new species dubbed the "bumblebee" gecko
• Some Pacific Islands species are endangered, while others pose emerging threats to nearby wildlife and ecosystems
• How are scientists studying these species, and what are herpetologists finding while studying Pacific lizard biodiversity?